


Phoenix Child

by FairyNiamh



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinksi, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Not Beta Read, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 02:36:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2092440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyNiamh/pseuds/FairyNiamh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one ever promised John that raising a Phoenix child would be an easy job.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phoenix Child

"You killed your mother," John said. Drink in hand, voice and face void of all emotions.

Stiles sighed and tugged on his father's arm. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to."

John sighed and looked over at his son for the first time in years. Was Stiles really a teenager now? "I know, she made a deal, it was her fault for thinking she could beat it."

"Come on Dad, time to go home. Dinner is on the table, I have to wash clothes, and do my homework still," Stiles replied. He tugged his father out of the bar by his father's jacket sleeve. This wasn't the first time he had retrieved his wayward father from a bar. The owners were kind enough to call him, rather than calling the authorities.

"Why do you call me Dad? I mean, it's not like either of us are actually your parents. Do you even have parents?" the drunkard asked with a hateful sneer marring his once handsome face.

Stiles rubbed the area between his eyes. "John, you and Claudia cared for me and kept me safe when I was at my weakest state. You fed me, clothed me, and nurtured me. Doesn’t that sound like the thing a parent does? You _chose_ me, and I accepted you the first time you both embraced me. I know you regret her decision to get me, but you were there too. You _both_ accepted me."

"Then why didn’t I die too? Why only her?" John asked as he sank to the ground outside the bar.

"I know you think that _I_ got to decide who lived and who died in this scenario, but your wrong. The Earth herself is my original mother; and she was the one who decided to take Claudia into her folds."

John threw a drunken punch that Stiles easily dodged and danced out of the way. "Are you saying, that the fucking _planet_ took my wife from me? What kind of weed have you been fucking smoking?"

The ground trembled beneath their feet and the heavens opened up as it started to pour down rain on their heads. "This is your only warning, Dad, sober up and actually _be_ my dad, or lose me forever. Trust me; you do not want that to happen. Bad things happen to people who toss me out."

"Like my wife dying?" John asked with a snarl.

"No, like _you_ not dying as you watch your friends and family die one by one. Not just your wife and your parents, but everyone and you _won't_ die for a very long time. I will die before you and I am not a short lived person," he warned.

John slowly stood and lifted his head toward the rain, letting the chill of it sober him up. Stiles had been right, both Claudia and he had chosen a Phoenix child when they had discovered that she was infertile. She had wanted a child, no matter the cost, and she had smiled and actually hugged Stiles before grabbing John's hand and taking her last breath.

"Are there more Phoenix children out there, or are you the only one?" John finally asks.

Stiles took a deep breath and smiled sadly. "There are a small handful of us. None in this area. We don’t communicate at all; we each stay in our part of the word."

"It sounds lonely."

"It can be, but every now and again I get some awesome parents and some special friends."

John bowed his head and shook it slightly. "I'm sorry I haven’t been an awesome parent here lately."

"You were grieving Dad. You lashed out me with just cause."

"No, there is never any reason to lash out at your own child."

"I bet Edmund Kimper's mom would disagree with you on that one. Anyhow, it doesn’t matter. All of that is not important. It is in our past. It's not too late to be an awesome Dad. I warn you though, it won’t be easy," Stiles informed him with a grin as he took a tentative step toward the man.

John smiled and pulled him in for a wet hug. "Parenting isn't supposed to be easy."

"I'll have to keep secrets from you in the future. You'll find out eventually, but there will be secrets that will drive you mad."

"Why tell me this now?"

"I'm warning you, because they won’t be my secrets to tell. Your patience will be tried as it has never been before, but I think you are up for the task. All I ask is that you have a little faith in me and let me be your son," Stiles pleaded with the man in his arms.

"Ah hell, you have me, son. Always have and always will. Just, try not to become a serial killer or something like that," John, said with a humorless chuckle.

Stiles took a deep breath and nodded his head. "I'll do my best Dad."

Years later, John would remember that conversation as he stared into the eyes of the thing dressed as his son and again when he stood beside Derek looking at his first grandchild. Stiles had been right, it wasn't easy being the parent of a Phoenix Child, but it was so worth it in the long run.

~Fin~


End file.
